Prince George city councillor Jillian Merrick has her sights set on becoming the next mayor of Wells.
"Just submitted a new job application - wish me luck!," she said in a posting on her Instagram account that includes a photo of a completed candidate nomination package.
Merrick, who spends about half her time in the community a stone throw from Barkerville, will be running in a June 9 by-election, created when the previous mayor, Robin Sharpe, stepped down in February. Coun. Lorraine Kozar resigned at the same time, forcing a byelection for that vacancy as well.
If elected, Merrick said she will continue to sit on Prince George city council. The position in Wells would last only a further 3-4 months until the general civic elections are held on October.
Whether she would run again in either community at that point is up in the air.
"I think we recognized that we need to move forward with career and family goals and sitting on council in Prince George probably won't allow me to do that, so we're looking at a few different options," she said in an interview Tuesday.
"But regardless, the community that I spend half my time in is in need and I have the skills and experience to help them get to the general election and we'll see where it goes from there."
She said the by-election in Wells became necessary because the two resignations dropped the number of council members below the threshold needed to do business. Sharpe has said he stepped down in frustration over a "negative situation."
"The mayor cited some fracture in the community and certainly I think that's there, but I think it's also just not having folks at the table that help provide guidance in uncertain times," Merrick said. "I think what they're just looking for is stability over the next four months until they get to the next general election."
Merrick said she has just completed a certificate in public administration.
